Differential gear driven supercharger for internal combustion engines



Nov. 6, 1962 w. GLAMANN 3,062,001 DIFFERENTIAL GEAR DRIVEN SUPERCHARGER FOR INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES Filed Feb. 17, 1958 4 Shets-Sheet 1 Nov. 6, 1962 w. GLAMANN 3,062,001

DIFFERENTIAL-GEAR DRIVEN SUPERCHARGER FOR INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES Filed Feb. 17, 1958 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Nov. 1962 w. GLAMANN 3,062,001 DIFFERENTIAL GEAR DRIVEN SUPERCHARGER FOR INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES Filed Feb. 17, 1958 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Nov. 6, 1962 w. GLAMANN 3,062,001

DIFFERENTIAL GEAR DRIVEN SUPERCHARGER FOR INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES Filed Feb. 17, 1958 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 o oo 0W Unite The present invention relates to means for supercharging internal combustion engines, which are designated generally by the term superchargers.

It has already been proposed to supercharge internal combustion engines of automotive vehicles by utilizing the combination of a turbo-compressor or supercharger driven by the exhaust gases with a supercharger driven mechanically from a torque distributing gear-case mounted on the out-put shaft of the engine, both compressors being disposed in series on the induction pipe or manifold through which air is supplied to the engine. Thus, an engine torque having a very steep characteristic curve at low engine speeds is obtained. However, the practical actuation of this arrangement was attended by certain difiiculties as it involved the mounting of a number of accessory apparatus or auxiliary devices relatively spaced from one another, so that only costly solutions have so far been brought to this problem.

Now it is the object of the present invention to avoid these drawbacks by providing an improved arrangement of these engine supercharging devices which constitutes a compact and economical assembly.

According to an essential feature of the present invention, the two superchargers are combined into a single assembly mounted on the engine unit on the side of the exhaust manifold, the mechanically driven centrifugal compressor being disposed side by side with the turbocompressor so that the air delivery port of the former is connected tangentially to the air inlet port of the latter, whereby the kinetic energy of the air accelerated by the first compressor is utilized by converting its linear speed into rotational speed to drive the rotor of the other compressor and consequently facilitate the ingress of this air into the rotor of the other compressor.

According to a specific embodiment of this invention the two compressors are replaced by a single, compound driven supercharger driven both from a turbine actuated by the exhaust gas and from a train of gears actuated by the torque distributing gear case. However, in this modified arrangement, to prevent a possible deterioration of the supercharger in case of sudden engine stoppage, a free wheel is advantageously interposed in the supercharger driving shaft so that the supercharger may continue its rotation even when the driving speed obtained from the torque distributing gear case decreases or drops to zero.

According to another specific feature of the present invention, a plurality of component elements already known per se are combined with one another to constitute a compact unit. These constituents are as follows:

A torque distributing gear case mounted in the place of the conventional clutch, and

A shifting-gear selecting transmission replacing said clutch, whereby the driver may either use the mechanical transmission or lock the epicyclic gearing of the distributing gear case, or alternately allowing this epicyclic gearing to rotate freely to permit the freewheel rotation of the engine output shaft.

These elements are so combined that the complete assembly does not exceed the reasonable limits of the over-all dimensions of a conventional-type clutch case; according to this feature of the present invention it is possible to construct an engine that can easily be substi- States Patent Q "ice tuted for an ordinary engine without necessitating any other modification of the frame.

According to this invention, another feature already known per se may be combined with this assembly; it consists in driving the engine fan or another auxiliary apparatus or device by utilizing the driving means or power take-off carried by the output pinion of the selecting transmission, so that the fan or other device will be at a speed proportional to that of the supercharger mechanical drive.

In order to afford a clearer understanding of the present invention and of the manner in which the same may be carried out in the practice, reference will now be made to the accompanying drawings forming part of this specification and illustrating diagrammatically by way of example a few typical embodiments of the invention. In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a lateral elevation showing an engine unit equipped with a turbo-supercharger and a mechanically driven supercharger;

FIGURES 1a and 1b are detail views illustrating the supercharger assembly in front sectional view and in side view respectively;

FIGURE 2 is a lateral elevation showing an engine equipped with a compound supercharger;

FIGURE 3 is a plane view from above of the engine to illustrate the relative arrangement of the torque distributing gear case and supercharger mechanical drive;

FIGURE 4 is a plane view from above illustrating a modified embodiment of a torque distributing gear case and supercharger unit arrangement, and

FIGURES 5 and 6 are other plane views from above illustrating alternate embodiments wherein the engine fan is driven from the supercharger drive.

As already stated hereinabove, this invention relates to an internal combustion engine provided with a supercharging device consisting of a turbo-supercharger and a mechanically driven supercharger, the latter being driven from a torque distributing or power take-off gear case comprising an epicyclic gearing mounted on the engine output shaft. Its essential object is to afford a particularly compact arrangement of these constituents to permit an easy and economical mounting thereof, even on existing engines.

Referring first to FIG. 1 of the drawings, the internal combustion engine 1 has associated therewith a compact unit 2 mounted on the exhaust manifold side and containing the turbo-supercharger 3 having its turbine 4 inserted in the exhaust manifold 5, and the axial supercharger 6 connected to the air inlet manifold 7. The compact unit 2 also comprises the blower 8 having its air delivery pipe coupled directly by passage 8 to the inlet of supercharger 6 so that the blown air penetrates tangentially therein and engages the supercharger rotor blades without any appreciable loss of kinetic energy (see FIGS. 1a, lb). The blower 8 is driven from a shaft 9 in which adequate universal joints 10, 11 are inserted; this shaft 9 is driven in turn from an epicyclic gearing enclosed in a torque distributing gear case 12 mounted at the engine output end, the other output shaft of this gear case transmitting the drive to the driving wheels of the vehicle on which the engine is mounted.

According to the modified embodiment illustrated in FIG. 2, a single compound-driven supercharger 13 may be substituted for the combined turbo-supercharger and mechanical supercharger assembly; in this case, the rotor shaft 14 is connected to a turbine 15 inserted in the exhaust gas passage; this shaft 14 is also connected through a train of gears 16, 17, 18, 19 to the shaft 9 driven from the epicyclic gearing of gear case 12. In this modified embodiment it is advantageous to provide a free-wheel 20 in the pinion 17 to permit the free rotation of the supercharger at the turbine speed when the speed of shaft 9 suddenly decreases or drops to zero.

If desired, the supercharger driving shaft 9 may be provided with an extension in the form of an auxiliary shaft 21 for driving the engine fan 22 at a speed proportional to the mechanical supercharger drive.

The torque distributing gear case 12 is shown more in details in FIG. 3. In the arrangement illustrated the engine drives the planet-carrier 23 and the outer annulus 24 of the epicyclic gearing is solid with the shaft 25 driving the wheels of the vehicle. The central or sun gear 26 drives through the medium of a pair of pinions 27, 28, a shaft 29 mounted in bearings 30, 31 fitted in the same case 12. This shaft 29 has one end projecting from the case 12 and carrying a striking ring 32 mounted for axial sliding movement thereon and adapted to be coupled through the medium of synchromeshing or like devices either with the left-hand pinion 33 or with a stationary dog-clutch member 34 solid with the gear case 12. In this last instance, the meshing engagement of the striking ring 32 with the stationary dog-clutch member 34 makes it possible to lock the torque distributing train and cause same to operate as an overdrive or stepup gear. On the other hand, the pinion 33 meshes with the pinion 35 mounted on a shaft 36 driving in turn the supercharger driving shaft 9.

In its intermediate position the striking ring 32 rotates freely and acts as a free-wheel device inserted in the transmission to the wheels of the vehicle.

With an arrangement of this character the over-all dimensions of the torque distributing case do not exceed those of a conventional-type clutch and can easily be substituted therefor.

It may be pointed out that the arrangement according to this invention is also advantageous in that the shaft 9 may extend laterally from the gear case and substantially parallel to the engine axis, close to the engine flywheel 37, as illustrated in FIG. 3.

In addition, the stub shaft of pinion 33 may be extended outwards or oppositely to the shaft 9 and provided with a power take-off 38 (see FIG. 3) for driving a mechanical supercharger 8' if the arrangement combining this device with the turbo-supercharger is not required; in this case, the shaft 9 may be dispensed with, and the supercharger may be carried by, and form an integral part of the gear case 12 (FIG. 4). This power take-off may also be used for driving the engine cooling fan and in this case the radiator may be mounted at the output end of the engine, as exemplified at 39 or 40 in FIGS. and 6 of the drawings.

It will be readily understood by anybody conversant with the art that the embodiments shown and described herein should not be construed as limiting the field of application of this invent-ion, as many modifications and alterations may be brought thereto without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A supercharging means for an internal combustion engine used for driving a load, said engine having a shaft through which said load may be driven and an exhaust providing exhaust gases, said supercharging means comprising an exhaust gas turbine driven by said exhaust gas, a supercharger having a shaft drivingly connected to said exhaust gas turbine, differential gear means drivingly connecting said engine, said load and said supercharger shaft, said differential gear means comprising a planetary gear system comprising three rotatable elements, a first of said rotatable elements being driven by said engine shaft, a second of said rotatable elements being drivingly connected to said load, and a third of said rotatable elements driving a shaft including an overrunning clutch means, and driving means mounted on said supercharger shaft driven by said overrunning clutch means whereby said supercharger may containue its rotation upon sudden deceleration of said engine.

2. A supercharging means for an internal combustion engine for driving a load, said engine having a shaft and an exhaust providing exhaust gases, said supercharging means comprising an exhaust gas turbine driven by said exhaust gas, a supercharger having a shaft drivingly secured to said exhaust gas turbine, a planetary gear system comprising a sun gear, a ring gear and a planet gear carrier carrying a planet gear meshing with said sun and ring gears, said planet gear carrier being drivingly secured to said engine shaft for rotation thereby, said ring gear being drivingly connected to said load whereby said load is driven, said sun gear drivingly connected by gearing to said supercharger shaft whereby a differential gearing effect is obtained between said engine, said load and said supercharger shaft, and an overrunning clutch means drivingly disposed between said sun gear and said supercharger shaft adjacent said supercharger whereby said supercharger may continue its rotation upon sudden deceleration of said engine.

3. A supercharging means for an internal combustion engine used for driving a load, said engine having a shaft and an exhaust providing exhaust gases, said supercharging means comprising a first centrifugal supercharger, an exhaust gas turbine driven by said exhaust gases drivingly engaging said first supercharger, a gear means comprising a planetary gear system, a second centrifugal supercharger, a shaft for said second centrifugal supercharger, said planetary gear system comprising three rotatable elements, a first of said rotatable elements being driven by said engine shaft, a second of said rotatable elements being drivingly connected solely to said load, and the third of said rotatable elements being drivingly connected solely to said second supercharger shaft, each said centrifugal supercharger being provided with an air inlet and an air discharge, the discharge of one of said superchargers being directed tangentially into the air inlet of the other said supercharger.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Italy Jan. 25, 1956 

